Power BI Retail Dashboard

Data is essential for retailers aiming to unlock consumer insights, optimise inventory management, and boost sales. Retailers are increasingly personalising both in-store and online experiences to meet shoppers’ growing expectations for affordability, convenience, and quality.

Looking at some stats, e-commerce revenue in the UK has reached £133 billion (Analyzify) and according to various sources, is projected to grow even further in the coming years.

Coming from a strong retail background, I understand the challenges retailers face in turning data into actionable insights and creating solutions that drive measurable results. Also, they have had a tough time, doing more with less while dealing with customers who expect more than ever.

Build The Story, Then The Dashboard - Retail Edition!

In this blog, I want to summarise the key points from the video below. Feel free to check it out, as I had great feedback so far, but this blog will be a shorter, more concise text version.

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So, what do I mean by "build the story, then the dashboard"? When creating reports, we need to dedicate more time and effort to gathering requirements. Most reporting projects fail because the requirements have not been gathered from the right people, the AUDIENCE, you know… the actual end users of the solution. Instead, we often rely on someone who claims to know all the requirements, which leads to a lack of trust in the solution when it's time to go-live. And trust me, end-users will definitely take it out on the final product.

This is why I always push BUILD THE STORY, THEN THE DASHBOARD!

We cannot simply ask end-users questions like the below and call it a day. In all honesty, this is lazy work by the reporting expert. Our job is to HELP users uncover what they truly need.

• What do you want?
• How do you want to see it?
• Do you have an existing report you can share?

Instead of these surface-level questions, we should be diving deeper with more tailored questions that get the end-users thinking. Questions such as:

• Where are you trying to go?
• What are the objectives you are trying to achieve?
• What challenges are you looking to overcome?
• Why do you need this report?
• What actions do you want to derive?

Too often, we take a high-level request and run with it, straight to Power BI (or any other tool), jumping into development. This is how solutions end up BINNED. Instead, we must spend time with the right people: the merchandisers, store managers, buyers, warehouse staff, regional managers, etc. Engage directly with them to understand the reasons behind the need for this solution.

Create a wireframe to present and validate the ideas with them. Do not dive headfirst into development without giving the solution the right level of thought and attention.

So, again... BUILD THE STORY, THEN THE DASHBOARD! Below, we will see some elements of this.

How to Gather The Story?

The diagram below provides a high-level overview of the elements I consider when gathering an effective data story. It highlights the process of transforming end-user requirements into solutions that deliver genuine insights. While this showcases the foundational steps, there is far more depth to the method than meets the eye.

The below was derived by various workshops with a group of regional managers, each overseeing a group of retail stores across the country. It was created using the approach, "Build The Story, Then The Dashboard.

The Regional Retail Analysis Dashboard

The below report was the outcome of the above. Again, it was built for five regional managers, all looking after a group of 100 stores across the UK.

Challenges This Solution Solves for the Retail Regional Managers:

👉 Struggle to act quick on underperforming stores due to unclear insights.

👉 No single view of core KPIs like ATV, and Conversion to track progress.

👉 Missing opportunities to upsell, cross-sell and optimise inventory.

👉 Data isn’t accessible on mobile or tablets, limiting decisions on the go.

👉 Enable teams to optimise store-level performance.

Key Questions Answered By This Solution:

👉 Are we hitting this week’s regional sales targets?

👉 Which stores are struggling, and why?

👉 What actions can I take today to boost ATV, footfall, or conversion?

👉 How can I replicate success from top-performing stores?

👉 What trends are shaping sales and performance over time?

👉 How can I equip my team to act faster and smarter?

Discover Your Story, Build Meaningful Solutions

To summarise, turning raw data into actionable insights is not just about creating visually appealing dashboards - it’s about designing solutions that solve real business challenges and drive impactful decisions. By focusing on "Build The Story, Then The Dashboard", we help uncover the true needs of your end-users and create tailored solutions that deliver measurable results.

The Regional Retail Analysis Dashboard is just one example of how this approach can transform how businesses operate. From identifying underperforming stores to empowering teams with data-driven actions, meaningful solutions start with understanding the story behind the numbers.

If you want to uncover your organisation’s story and create solutions that go beyond surface-level reporting, Metis BI is here to help. Our proven process ensures your reports are designed with purpose, empowering your teams to act with confidence and clarity.

Let’s work together to turn your data into insights and insights into action. Reach out today to get started.

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